Hair Salon Cape with Smartphone Pocket

ABSTRACT

A hair salon cape with a smartphone pocket provides a transparent large pocket on the front surface, with two apertures for the user&#39;s hands. Within the large pocket, one or more transparent small pockets are provided near the aperture on the right. The small pockets are sized appropriately for a smartphone, a baby bottle, or other small personal items which the user may need or wish to use while the user&#39;s hair is being cut or styled. The large pocket is capable of accommodating a small tablet or electronic reader. The material of the pockets is sufficiently flexible to allow the user to effectively use the keypad and touchscreen of an electronic device while wearing the cape, with the electronic device safely secured in one of the pockets.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/193,131, filed Jul. 16, 2015, which is hereby incorporated byreference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to hair salon equipment and supplies,and in particular to a hair salon cape with a smartphone pocket.Smartphones, tablets, and other mobile electronic devices have becomeessential items of daily equipment for millions of Americans.Unfortunately, certain types of salon hair treatments are very timeconsuming, and salon clients may not appreciate being cut off from useof their electronic devices for such an extended period. Some clientsmay attempt to use their electronic devices during hair cutting andstyling, but this exposes a fragile and expensive electronic device tothe risk of harsh chemicals or being dropped on the floor. A hair saloncape with a smartphone pocket, which is transparent and enables theclient to use a smartphone which is secured in the pocket while wearingthe cape, would resolve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a hair salon cape with asmartphone pocket. The cape provides a transparent large pocket on thefront surface, with two apertures for the user's hands. Within the largepocket, one or more transparent small pockets are provided near theaperture on the right. The small pockets are sized appropriately for asmartphone, a baby bottle, or other small personal items which the usermay need or wish to use while the user's hair is being cut or styled.The large pocket is capable of accommodating a small tablet orelectronic reader. The material of the pockets is sufficiently flexibleto allow the user to effectively use the keypad and touchscreen of anelectronic device while wearing the cape, with the electronic devicesafely secured in one of the pockets.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing is included to provide a further understandingof the invention and is incorporated into and constitutes a part of thespecification. It illustrates one embodiment of the invention and,together with the description, serves to explain the principles of theinvention.

The FIGURE is a front view of the first exemplary embodiment, displayingthe cape 10, the neck fastener 11, the large pocket 12, the apertures13, and the small pockets 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directedto a hair salon cape 10 with a smartphone pocket.

It is to be understood that while the invention is intended for use in ahair salon, this is not intended as a limitation. With suitablemodifications or with no modifications at all, the invention may be usedin any situation where the user may wish to use a mobile electronicdevice while wearing a cape, apron, or some other protective covering,such as a cosmetic salon, a commercial kitchen, or a dentist's office.

The first exemplary embodiment is comprised of a cape 10 which issecured around the neck of the user with a neck fastener 11. The neckfastener 11 provides means for fastening the cape 10 around the neck ofa user, and may utilize a drawstring, snaps, a zipper, hook and loopfasteners, or any other suitable fasteners for securing the cape arounda user's neck. The cape 10 further provides a transparent large pocket12 on the front surface 20, with two apertures 13 for the user's hands.The apertures preferably being located at the upper corners of the largepocket 12. Within the large pocket 12, one or more transparent smallpockets 14 are provided near the aperture 13 on the right. Preferably,three small pockets 14 are provided. More or fewer small pockets 14 arecontemplated. A left-handed version may also be available where thesmall pockets 14 are provided near the aperture 13 on the left.

The small pockets 14 are sized appropriately for a smartphone, a babybottle, or other small personal items which the user may need or wish touse while the user's hair is being cut or styled in a hair salon. Thelarge pocket 12 is capable of accommodating a small tablet or electronicreader.

The material of the pockets is sufficiently flexible to allow the userfit their hands inside the large pocket 12 along with the mobileelectronic device, to effectively use the keypad and touchscreen of anelectronic device while wearing the cape 10. The electronic device beingsafely secured within one of the pockets it is protected from hairclippings, water, hair products, or any other harmful substance that mayotherwise come into contact with the mobile electronic device. The usermay prepare, send, and read text messages, search or surf the Internet,clearly view stored images, and perform many other functions of theelectronic device without removing the device from the pocket orremoving the cape 10. It is not anticipated that the user will be ableto make telephone calls or use the camera function while the electronicdevice is secured in one of the pockets.

While the pockets are transparent, the cape 10 itself may betransparent, translucent, or opaque, and is preferably capable of beingcleaned and reused. The pockets may be removable to more easily enablelaundering of the cape 10. An alternate embodiment, which is easilydisposable, is contemplated. Other alternate embodiments, of greateroverall length and providing a very large pocket, are also contemplated.The very large pocket is contemplated as being capable of containing andallowing the use of an opened laptop computer, large tablet, or otherlarge electronic device, while the large electronic device is resting onthe user's lap.

To use the first exemplary embodiment, the user may secure the cape 10around the users neck, using the neck fastener 11 which is provided. Theuser may then insert a smartphone or other small electronic device intoone of the small pockets 14, or a small tablet, an electronic readersuch as a Nook™, or some other medium sized electronic device into thelarge pocket 12, such that the electronic device is face up, but theupper edge of the electronic device is oriented downward. Other smallpersonal items may also be inserted into the other pockets.

The user may then proceed with a haircut or styling appointment. If theuser desires to use the electronic device, the user may flip up thelower edge of the cape 10 such that the visual display and keypad of theelectronic device may be easily viewed through the transparent materialof the pocket. The user may then press keys on the keypad, or operate atouchscreen function on the electronic device, by pressing such controlsurfaces through the transparent material of the pocket. Alternatively,the user may insert their hands through the apertures 13 andhold/operate the electronic device from within the large pocket 12.

The cape 10 and the neck fastener 11 are preferably manufactured from aflexible, durable material which is easily cleaned, such as cottonfabric. The large pocket 12 and the small pockets 14 are preferablymanufactured from a flexible, durable material which is transparent,such as plastic.

Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable,but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materialscould be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one ofordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be thebest mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understandand appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, andequivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. Theinvention should, therefore, not be limited by the above describedembodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methodswithin the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A salon cape with electronics pocket, comprising: a. a capehaving a front surface; b. a neck fastener; c. said neck fastenerproviding means for fastening the cape around the neck of a user; d. alarge transparent pocket being attached to the front surface of thecape; e. said large transparent pocket including at least one apertureinto the large transparent pocket; and f. at least one smallertransparent pocket contained within the large transparent pocket.
 2. Thesalon cape with electronics pocket of claim 1, wherein said at least oneaperture is two apertures located at the upper corners of the largetransparent pocket.
 3. The salon cape with electronics pocket of claim1, wherein said large transparent pocket is sized and shaped toaccommodate a small tablet or electronic reading device.
 4. The saloncape with electronics pocket of claim 2, wherein said large transparentpocket is sized and shaped to accommodate a small tablet or electronicreading device.
 5. The salon cape with electronics pocket of claim 1,wherein said large transparent pocket is made of a flexible materialsuch that a user may fit an electronic device and both hands within thelarge transparent pocket.
 6. The salon cape with electronics pocket ofclaim 1, where said large transparent pocket is made of a material whichallows a user to operate an electronic touchscreen device through thelarge transparent pocket.
 7. The salon cape with electronics pocket ofclaim 3, where said large transparent pocket is made of a material whichallows a user to operate an electronic touchscreen device through thelarge transparent pocket.
 8. The salon cape with electronics pocket ofclaim 4, where said large transparent pocket is made of a material whichallows a user to operate an electronic touchscreen device from theexterior of the large transparent pocket.
 9. The salon cape withelectronics pocket of claim 1, wherein said large transparent pocket isremovable such that the large transparent pocket can be detached fromthe cape.
 10. The salon cape with electronics pocket of claim 1, whereinsaid large transparent pocket is sized and shaped to accommodate a largetablet or laptop computer.
 11. The salon cape with electronics pocket ofclaim 2, wherein said large transparent pocket is sized and shaped toaccommodate a large tablet or laptop computer.
 12. The salon cape withelectronics pocket of claim 1, wherein said at least one smallertransparent pocket is three smaller transparent pockets.
 13. The saloncape with electronics pocket of claim 12, wherein said three smallertransparent pockets are sized and shaped to accommodate small personalitems.
 14. The salon cape with electronics pocket of claim 13, whereinsaid small personal items include a smartphone or baby bottle.